Preventing the Future from Repeating Itself
by Siriusgirl1
Summary: She was five when she met him, the white haired man. Her mama had told her not to speak to strangers, but he didn't seem dangerous. Although Gamma had told her that it was the ones who didn't look dangerous who should be feared. Why did he seem familiar?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

Yup, another _Katekyo Hitman Reborn_ one-shot, by me. Sigh, I seem to be on some kind of a role. Ah well. Again, this one is pretty Uni-centric, although with two others too. The idea behind this fic was life going on in the _past_ (i.e. once Tsuna and his guardians return to the past after defeating Byakuran) and what things might be like. I have this idea in my head of Tsuna, finally really accepting his position as the Decimo, and somehow seeking out the Giglio Nero as he gets older, hoping to prevent the whole Byakuran thing from happening, but more importantly, hoping to protect Uni. Sigh, it probably wouldn't happen, but I can hope, right?

**Disclaimer: **It's all Amano Akira's, as much as I want to own some of her characters.

* * *

**To Prevent the Future from Repeating itself in the Past:**

She was five, on the verge of turning six the very next day, when she met him.

That smiling, white haired young man, with a brown shopping bag in his hands.

To her childish chagrin, she hadn't been able to prevent herself from staring at him –albeit rather shyly, and out of the corner of her very large, very _blue_, eyes- but she later reasoned that it wasn't _her_ fault.

She'd never met anyone with white hair before after all. Except for old people, like the old men her mama had taken her to see, saying something about them being people who had helped her and the family in the past.

Never had she met a _young_ person with hair such a shocking, pure shade of white.

And clear blue eyes –she mustn't forget those eyes. (Although she had seen blue-r eyes, hers being an example)

"Hnn...?" She quickly averted her eyes to the other side of the road when she realised he was looking at her. Keeping her gaze fixed elsewhere, she hoped he wouldn't ask her anything, or take any further interest in her. Mama had told her to wait outside while she went to the lawyer's office to get some matters finalised. And she _really_ didn't like the stuffy, foreboding interior of the place, so she didn't want to have to go inside. "Eh? Are you lost, little one?"

She hoped he was speaking to some other 'little one', and resolutely kept her attention fixed elsewhere –until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Tensing, she turned around, only to have her wide blue eyes meet his narrower, clear blue pair.

"Mama told me not to speak to strangers," she said, softly, finding it rather difficult from tearing her eyes away from his.

When he smiled, it sent a shiver down her spine, although she couldn't quite recall _why_.

It was just a smile.

But then, her mother had always said that she should trust in her instincts –something about how she would always have a good intiu...intui...intuiti... ah, she couldn't remember the word, she'd have to ask mama when she came outside.

"Then your mama's a very sensible woman," he said, his voice light, "I just want to know if you're lost, though. It isn't often that you see such young children wandering around alone," he paused to glance around the mostly deserted area, "not in _this_ place..."

She continued to stare at him, her brows furrowed as she followed his gaze.

"But mama said not to speak to strangers," she repeated.

"Yes, you did say that already..." He pursed his lips. "Hmm, let's see then...aha, how about this? I'll ask you a question, and you shake your head if the answer's a 'no', but nod if it's 'yes'." He met her eyes with his once more. "Is that alright? You won't really be _speaking_ if you do that..."

She blinked, tilting her head to a side as she considered his words, before she nodded.

Surely there was no harm in doing that? He smiled. "So, little one, are you lost?"

She shook her head, glancing at the five-storey, rather plain-looking building behind her. She was just waiting for her mama, so it wasn't an untruth, even though this _was_ her first time here, and even if it was an unfamiliar place to her.

Her attention was drawn back to the spectacularly white haired young man when he nodded. "Ah, that's good. I wouldn't think that getting lost in a place like this would be nice... not necessarily." He shrugged. "Anyway...what could you be doing here, then?" He eyed her for a moment. "Are you meeting someone here?"

She hesitated when she shook her head this time (she wasn't meeting someone, she was just waiting for someone) and he picked up on it. "Are you, perhaps, waiting for someone?"

A nod was her answer this time. "That's a relief! A little girl like you, well, _any_ little girl shouldn't be out alone here. Or little boy, for that matter," he added as an afterthought, and she wondered at this.

Tilting her head to a side again, she observed him just as he observed her, neither of them saying anything for what seemed to be a long moment.

Eventually, though, he spoke again, without breaking eye contact. "Will the person you're waiting for keep you waiting for much longer?" He raised his wrist and briefly fixed his gaze on the slender wristwatch strapped to it. "Because I promised someone that I'd meet them soon, and I should get going. Will you be here for much longer?"

She shook her head. Mama said that she'd be done soon –and mama always kept to her word.

The smile that she received was a wider one, and, once more, it sent a shiver down her spine. "In that case, little one, I should probably get going." He glanced down at the paper bag he held as he shifted it in his arms. "Ah!" his blue eyes lit up, "Would you like a snack, while you wait?"

She raised her eyebrows at him for a moment.

"Mama said not to speak to strangers," she repeated, a strange feeling erupting in her gut. It was the same feeling she got when she looked at her Uncle Reborn for the first time, and felt as though she _knew_ him, as though she had met him somewhere. Which she hadn't.

But she was pretty sure that she would have remembered meeting this white haired young man, if she _had_, indeed, met him before.

Soft chuckles caused her to blink, and, sure enough, she found him looking at her with an amused expression on his face.

"Ah, I'm sorry, that was very rude of me," he said, placing a hand over his heart with his free hand as he mock bowed to her. "Your mama did indeed tell you not to speak to strangers, but you don't need to speak for this." His eyes crinkled in a smile. "Nod if you want a snack, shake your head if you don't –just like before."

He dug around the paper bag he was carrying, before pulling out a small packet of something white. "Here you go," he said, as he thrust it out to her, "I'll sacrifice one of my precious packets of marshmallows."

She stared at the offered snack, her eyes widening ever so slightly. Could this man have known that she had asked her mama for marshmallows when they left the house? Although, she _had_ asked for them in her hot chocolate, and her mama had said that they'd have some once she was done with whatever 'business' she needed to finalise.

The white haired man shook the packet in his hands. "It's properly sealed, and can't be expired because I did check the dates carefully," he said, as though to entice her further.

Well.

Her eyes drifted from the offered snack, to the white haired man's face, once, then twice.

He didn't _look _harmless, although Gamma had told her that it's the ones who didn't look it who were three times as dangerous.

But, still.

Even though he was a stranger, she got the same feeling around him that she got some people when she met them for the first time... although that didn't necessarily mean anything.

And besides—

A sudden rumbling sound had a most prominent shade of red flitting across her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her stomach, averting her eyes to her sandal-clad feet as the white haired young man laughed again.

"Go on," he urged, "your stomach seems to want this."

Her flush darkened, and she glanced up at his kindly smiling face once more before reaching out with her hand and taking the packet of white marshmallows. He smiled, before his hand quickly darted forward to pat her on the head. "Ahh~, it kind of feels like we've met before. Ahaha, but that can't be."

He patted her head once more. "I hope you enjoy it, and that you're not kept waiting for long," he said, glancing somewhat awkwardly at his wristwatch once more. "Eh! I've really got to go. Hmm, I can tell you'll do this anyway, but keep to your mama's advice, and don't talk to anyone you don't know, okay?"

She nodded, and watched as he gave her one last look before turning on his heel and walking away.

The crinkling of the packet in her hands caused her eyes to widen as she remembered _she didn't say thank you_! Where were her manners?

But...she couldn't _say_ thank you, could she? Because that would mean that she would have to talk, and mama had said...... But then, mama had also said that it was rude to accept something without saying thank you...

"E-Excuse me..." she called out, somewhat timidly. "Excuse me-!" she repeated, louder.

The white haired man paused and turned around to look at her.

"Hnn?"

"Uhm... thank you," she said, shyly, holding up the packet, "for the marshmallows."

She could see his grin from where she stood, as he waved a hand at her.

"It was my pleasure, little one. Take care, then." With that, he turned back around and resumed walking. She watched him go, unabashed as only children could be, until he turned a corner and disappeared from her sight.

She stared after him, the strange feeling in her gut increasing with a sudden sharpness that it made her wrap her arms around herself, suddenly feeling sick.

'_Hmm? I expected a baby, but you're far more charming...'_

'_Why don't we go somewhere where we can talk properly? Just us two Bosses?'_

'_If you come back to me, I'll forgive you for this behaviour. What do you say, hmm, Uni-chan?'_

"-ni. Uni. _Uni!_" With a gasp, her eyes refocused, showing her the worried face of her mama as she stared at her.

"M...a...ma," she managed, her throat seemingly unable to function properly. "I...there was..."

Familiar, warm hands fell on her shoulders as her mother crouched down to look at her.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" queried the pretty Italian Boss, her eyes narrowing. "Did anyone do anything-" Uni shook her head quickly, tightly clutching the packet of marshmallows in her hand.

"No," she said, properly, "no, I'm okay. I was just waiting for you."

It wasn't like she could tell her mama that she heard voices in her head. (And it wasn't really the _first_ time she had heard them, although they said different things the last time)

"You're sure?" queried her mother. She nodded again, mustering up a bright smile.

"Shall we go now? You promised we could stop for hot chocolate."

Her mother stood straight with a mock exasperated smile.

"Oh to be a kid again, and only worry about whether or not my mama gets me a hot chocolate!" Shaking her head, she held her hand out to her daughter. "Come on then, we'll just walk for a bit, before phoning Gamma and asking him to pick us up. You up for a walk, kiddo?"

Uni nodded, taking her mother's hand in hers. "Hmm? What's that?" She glanced down at what her mother was looking at.

"Marshmallows," she replied, seeing her mother's curious expression. "A man with white hair stopped –to ask if I was lost- and gave me this before he left."

"Huh. That's...nice, I guess," murmured her mother, "Is it opened?"

"No, I didn't open it yet."

"Hmm. Well, we'll have it later. Come on, let's get going...it sort of looks like it's about to rain, and I don't know about you, but I'm not in the mood to resemble a walking, talking mud monster."

Giggling, the Giglio Nero princess and her mother walked hand in hand, smiles on their faces as though they didn't have a care in the world.

* * *

She was seven, and about to turn eight in less than twenty four hours, when she met him.

That smiling, white haired man, with a large white packet in his hands.

"Everything okay, princess?"

Averting her eyes from the white haired man and the bespectacled foreigner he was speaking to, she smiled at the worried man who stood alert behind her chair.

"Everything's fine, Gamma," she reassured, "_really_." He nodded, but she knew that that wouldn't make him relax any more. If anything, he looked more tensed than he had before. She understood why, of course.

For they were at a function, a mafia function, to be accurate. And this particular function required the attendance of the top mafia Bosses, along with their right hand men and women, and whoever else they felt was necessary to bring along, just in case things went wrong (although the numbers _were_ limited to a grand total of four family members per Boss).

While her dear Gamma and two other guardians stood behind her like guardian hawks, and attempted to entice her into conversation every now and then, she was no fool. She _had_ seen the variety of glances that had been sent her way by the others gathered for the function, and some of them had not been very..._nice_, to put it lightly.

Though she could hardly fault them for their scorn and derision, because, really, how could a seven year old child _possibly _be the Boss of a prestigious mafia family like the Giglio Nero?

Snapping out of her reverie she smiled at the elderly Vongola Nono, standing not too far from her, as he winked in her direction.

She liked the elderly man, no matter how much some of the older members of her family might detest the Vongola. He had been nothing but kind to her since her mama had...since her mama had died, and it hadn't been a forced kindness either –it had been a warm kindness, a genuine kindness.

Turning her eyes to where the white haired man had been seated, she was somewhat surprised to see him not too far away from her and... oh, he was heading towards her.

Straightening unconsciously in her seat, she watched him draw near to her, his steps slow and assured. "It's okay," she whispered to Gamma and the others as they bristled, knowing that no one would be silly enough to start a fight with them, especially since they had the support of the Vongola family.

"Good evening, Boss of the Giglio Nero," greeted the white haired man, as he came to a halt before her.

"Good evening," she replied in kind, "Boss of the..." her voice trailed off and she watched as he smiled.

"Gesso. Boss of the Gesso family," he commented. "I'm Byakuran Gesso."

"Uni," she said with a smile, "it's nice to meet you, Byakuran."

"The pleasure is all mine," said the white hair –said Byakuran, as he placed a hand over his heart and gave her a mock bow.

Her eyes widened, but only for a fraction of a second. "Allow me to offer my condolences, and that of my family's, for your loss."

"Thank you, the gesture is very much appreciated," she answered, politely, sending him a smile. Byakuran nodded, digging in to the plastic bag that was clutched to his chest, and pulling out a handful of marshmallows.

He was about to pop them in his mouth, when he caught sight of her blue eyes watching him, and paused.

"Oh, how rude of me~!" he held his hand out to her, "Would you like some?"

She stared at the squishy, white treat, not quite sure how to react.

"Uhm..."

"Go on, they're quite nice. The best in Italy, or so I like to say," he urged, wriggling his fingers. "Go on, try one."

She looked up at him, into the pair of clear blue eyes, and wondered why his smile sent a shiver down her spine. But since she couldn't sense anything hostile about him...and she didn't think that he would actually _poison _anyone at such a function, not to mention how rude it might seem if she did not take what was offered... ...

"Thank you," she said with a smile of her own, as she reached out to take one of the marshmallows, mindful of the three distrustful dears who stood behind her. She paused, her fingers hovering just above the white treats, when a third figure joined them, rather abruptly too.

Looking up, her eyes met brown; brown eyes and spiky brown hair.

"H-Hello," said the young man, sounding rather breathless, as though he had sprinted all the way. He drew in a breath and smiled –a nice, warm smile she found herself returning.

"Hello," she repeated, staring at him a moment longer. "I'm Uni," she offered, when he didn't say anything else, and she wondered at the quick flash of emotion that spread across his features.

"I'm Tsuna," he said, and she noticed that his Italian had a touch of a foreign accent.

"Mmm, Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun, I'm guessing?" commented Byakuran, and she watched as 'Tsuna' grimaced before looking to him with a nod. "Byakuran Gesso," he introduced, about to hold out a hand for a handshake when he realised that they were both occupied. "Ahaha, sorry about that."

'Tsuna' shook his head, smiling, although, to Uni, the smile seemed a bit forced.

"N-Nice to meet you, Byakuran..." he said, before he turned to her, with a more genuine smile, although there was a tightness around his mouth, "and it's nice to meet you too, Uni." She nodded, continuing her observation of him, before her eyes widened in recognition.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, did you say...? The Vongola Decimo?" The brown haired Japanese boy nodded, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah –I mean, yes. I should have introduced myself properly..." he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, sneaking a glance at Byakuran for some odd reason or the other. "Uh, Uni," he started, his eyes on Byakuran's hand that was still stretched out towards her, "I –uh, the Vongola Kyuudai –ah, the Vongola Nono wants to speak with you. Would you mind escorting me to where he is?"

She tilted her head to a side.

"He's right there, isn't he?" she queried, innocently, nodding her head in his direction. The Vongola Decimo flushed as he followed her gaze.

"Y-Yeah. B-But he...he said that there's someone who wants to meet you. Someone... someone..." he looked flustered, and she sent him a sympathetic smile. Was it his first time at such a function too, even though he was older than her?

"Someone wants to meet me?"

He nodded, his eyes shifting to the very protective men that stood stone-faced behind her.

"I...he..." he trailed off, closing his eyes momentarily. "My tutor wants to see you. He –his name's Reborn."

Her eyes lit up immediately.

"Really? Uncle Reborn?" She stood from her seat, unable to curb her smile, and who could blame her? It had been a while since she had seen her beloved 'uncle' after all. He returned her smile.

"Yeah, really."

She nodded, turning to Gamma with a smile.

"Will you come with us?" she asked, knowing that they would have done just that even if she hadn't asked. "Not that I don't trust you, of course, Sawada-san."

"No, no, I –I understand." He paused, before awkwardly holding his arm out to her. "Sh-Shall we?"

"Yes, please."

She supposed that her excitement led her to forget the third party they were now leaving behind, and she only remembered when he called out.

"You won't try the marshmallows, Uni-chan?" called out Byakuran, still holding his hand out.

She stopped in her tracks and turned around, noting that Sawada-san had tensed ever so slightly –whether at his request, or something else she didn't know, nor would she ever know.

The white haired Gesso had a smile on his lips as he looked at her, and again, _again_, it sent a shiver down her spine.

And it happened again when her eyes met his.

'_I really do need you!'_

'_What are you talking about? If you run away, I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth. You know this, Uni-chan~'_

An almost suffocating feeling rose in her gut, and she swallowed quickly, trying to quell it.

"Maybe later, Byakuran," she said, with a smile, swallowing as she turned her back to him and continued walking, not realising that her grip on Sawada-san's arm had tightened, and not seeing the strangely understanding look he sent her.

Had she met that man before?

She would've thought she'd remember him if she had, for she didn't usually see white haired _young_ people.

She swallowed against the nausea that swirled around in her gut.

There was something about that man...

Byakuran Gesso...perhaps she'd ask Gamma, or Uncle Reborn, for whatever information they had on him.

Whoever he was, she had been raised to trust her intuition –and though she may not understand what it was telling her yet, it was always good to be prepared.

Fixing a smile to her lips, she continued walking.

* * *

**A/N**

Another long piece –argh, sorry about that! I can't seem to get _Reborn!_ out of my head. Or Uni, for the matter. Or Tsuna, Gamma and Byakuran. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this.

Till next time,

Siriusgirl1


	2. Invitations and Voices in Her Head

**A/N**

I was reading through my _Katekyo Hitman Reborn_ stories, and decided that **Patriciatajiya**might have been correct when she said that this story seemed a little incomplete. If I remember correctly, I had ended the previous chapter the way I did because I couldn't see myself writing a final ending to it without going on for a couple of thousand words –which, in turn, I would need to divide into another chapter, and...well, I didn't really want to be writing a multi-chaptered fic on this. Not just yet.

But I was reading through the manga again, and, checking , I realised that there really aren't that many Uni-centric stories, which is sad, because she is such a good character to write about. (Okay, and I'll admit that I was feeling a bit sad after watching the last few anime episodes –I'd been waiting for more than half a year to see the animated scene of when Gamma 'saves' Uni from Torikabutou- and realised that once the Future arc was completed in the anime, we wouldn't be seeing any more of Uni, or Gamma and the rest)

Sooo, I ended up with this. There will be two more chapters following this, and _then_ it'll be done.

Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: **I wish it all belonged to me, but, in reality, it's all the property of one amazing Amano Akira.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Invitations and Voices in Her Head**

She was eight, now, and no longer a child. At least not in her opinion; how could she still be a child when she was now well settled into the role of the Boss of a prestigious mafia Family?

Her Family still treated her like the child they saw her as, shielding her from the hurtful words being spoken behind her back and reassuring her that things were _okay_, no matter what was going on.

(They could all be dying from gunshot wounds and would still tell her that things were okay, bless them; though she supposed this was mostly because, in their eyes, she _was_ an eight year old child, and protecting her innocence and childhood –which was nigh impossible in their world- was something that enabled them to feel the illusion of humanity, which had been one of the things that the life of a Mafioso had taken away from them a long time ago)

She was no longer a child, so, when she received the cordial invitation, she knew that she couldn't just ignore it and pretend not to have received it. Which meant that excuses such as '_it must have gotten lost in the mail_' or '_Did you really send someone to deliver it here? But I haven't received it...'_ would not work. Not this time.

It had been a day and a half since she had received the white envelope, and she had yet to write a reply.

Closing her eyes momentarily, she pulled the envelope towards her and pulled out the slip of folded paper that was secured inside. It was a rather strangely decorated paper, with designs in blue –both dark and light- and, of course, white.

It almost seemed toonice for something sent by the Boss of a _mafia_ Family, though, mind you, she was certainly no expert on these matters. For all she knew, mafia families sent each other letters –or invitations- on bright yellow paper patterned with an array of rainbow coloured balloons quite frequently.

Her blue eyes scanned the writing on the paper, having read it so many times before that she almost knew its contents by heart.

It was addressed to '_The Giglio Nero Boss'_; there was nothing flashy or suspicious about that, she was sure, for that was a standard start to any letter addressed to any Mafia Boss.

And, all in all, the letter was very well phrased and to-the-point.

A visit from her would, apparently, warm the hearts (did Mafioso still have hearts after a few years of being in the business, as it were?) of those in the Gesso Family headquarters, especially since she had managed to charm them during the few times their families had run into each other.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of this flattery, although she wouldn't lie; it _did_ bring a smile to her lips, for reasons she didn't quite understand, nor did she want to.

After a line or two more of carefully worded flattery, the letter addressed the Gesso Family's concerns regarding the voting at the most recent meeting of the leading mafia families in Italy.

The Gesso were worried about the overwhelming voting that often left both them and her Giglio Nero in the minority on issues such as express protection, immunity and outside involvement.

Here, she would admit that she had had to hold back a nod, although she was not too worried about the way the voting had gone, for the entire Mafia family were still in the very early stages of their new method of doing things –which included a little more discussion and a little less violence, where possible.

However, it was the rest of the page long letter that had stood out, at least in her mind.

For it appeared as though the Gesso, as though Byakuran Gesso, wished to establish some form of...alliance with her Family. No, 'alliance' was the wrong word to use. Rather, the white haired Boss wanted to form a relationship; a _friend_ship of sorts.

Not with her family, but with _her_.

Of course, she was not so naive as to believe that that was it; to believe that he didn't expect that 'friendship' to eventually extend into something of an alliance, similar to what she had with the Vongola.

But still.

Friendship? Between the Boss of an up and coming Family, and the Boss of a Family as prestigious as hers?

There had to be something more to it, and it was mildly irritating that she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was as though the answer was there, somewhere, in the back of her mind, but there was some kind of barrier that prevented her from identifying it.

And what was worse, was that it seemed as though this barrier wasn't going to go away, for she had encountered it since the day she had first received the letter.

Squeezing her eyes shut as she let the letter slip from her hand, she leaned back in the still too-large leather chair, resting her head against its familiar back. Things just weren't getting easier, and time was running out. For even though there was no time limit in which she 'had to' reply to the letter, it was common courtesy to do so, and within a short period of time.

But there was something _there_ that she needed to figure out –or that was what she felt, which, really, didn't help her very much.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts, reminding her again that she really needed to get used to the fact that things weren't like they were when she had been younger, and lived elsewhere.

She was a _Boss_ now, so people would alwaysknock on the door before entering any room she was in, never mind the fact that she was eight years old.

"Come in, please," she called out, her voice too loud and clear for a child in such a position.

The figure that entered her mama's off—

...No, that wasn't quite right, was it?

The figure that entered _her_ office was a welcomingly familiar one, and the smile on her lips changed from a somewhat forced one, to one that was far more genuine. (Not that anyone would have been able to tell, because she was who she was, and she had learned from very early on that smiles were important)

"I'm sorry for interrupting your work, Princess," started the golden haired man, an apologetic expression on his face as he looked at her, "But there's a –" There was an abrupt pause as she continued to smile upon him, "You haven't finished your breakfast, Princess."

Surprised at the sudden statement, she followed his gaze to the ceramic plate that rested on the corner of the table and, sure enough, the fruit, scrambled eggs, and soggy cheese toast were resting untouched on its surface.

"Oh." She had honestly forgotten. "I, I didn't..." her voice faltered for the first time, revealing, for the briefest of moments, the uncertain child that she truly was. The sigh from her companion had her looking up at him, a somewhat guilty, caught-with-a-hand-in-the-cookie-jar expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Gamma," she said softly, "I didn't think –I...I think I forgot..."

She wondered if it was just her, or if the man looked torn between amusement, frustration or even something almost close to fondness.

But she quickly dispelled the latter thought from her head.

He couldn't possibly be 'fond' of her, not when her mama's smile still clung to the forefront of his mind.

"Don't apologise," he said, briskly, before he sighed again. "But, really Princess, that's the, what, fourth meal that you've forgotten?" She resisted the urge to squirm in her seat, for she wasn't a child, she was a _Boss_; _the_ Boss of the Giglio Nero.

And Bosses did not squirm in their seats, or display their discomfort, and heaven forbid they disclose their true thoughts and feelings.

_('I'm glad you've become so spirited, but Uni-chan, you have no right to speak against my decisions...'_

'_...You're just number two. All final decision making is with me, and this conversation is now finished, understand~?')_

The words and voice startled her slightly, though it wasn't because she was surprised to hear them. How could she be, when she had been hearing things, spoken by a myriad of voices she wasn't familiar with, for a while now?

Each voice she heard would be saying phrases, or parts of phrases, that were disjointed, and their meaning she could never truly decipher.

Sometimes, the voices would be deceivingly soft, yet laced with malice; and sometimes they would be soft, yet full of concern and warmth. There would be some lines spoken in angered tones, while there would be others spoken defensively, and even urgently.

And there would be screams, though no scream struck her as hard as the one she had heard in her dreams a few nights after moving into the main residence, after the passing of her mama.

_That_ scream had been one of desperation; it had been one that sounded as though its user was on the verge of hysteria, as he pleaded with her –with _her_- not to sacrifice her life, for he would find another way to revive the Arcobaleno. (Who was that young man, and how did he know about her ability to revive the Arcobaleno? And why would she revive the Arcobaleno in the first place, unless they were all dead, and the world was in peril?)

That scream was a constant eerie echo in her mind, haunting her, particularly at night, when she was lying in bed and trying to push away the melodious echo of a song concerning the sea, the rainbow, and shellfish.

"-you okay? Princess?"

Blinking at the familiar note of concern in the voice, she refocused her attention on the golden haired male standing before her.

"I am fine, yes," she said, hoping that he did not yet know her well enough to spot the falsehood and dispelling from her mind the question of whether he would ever come to know her well enough to spot such a thing. "Sorry."

"No, don't apologise again." His gaze seemed to be telling her '_don't apologise again, you're a mafia _Boss_'_, but she wondered if that was just her eyes and mind playing tricks on her. "About your breakfast, it doesn't matter –I'll see that something's made for you now. And you will eat it all, won't you?"

She idly wondered if it was normal for Family members to order their Boss in such a manner, even if it was done in a subtle manner. But dear Gamma was still looking at her, awaiting her answer, so she smiled again.

"If I'm hungry, then-"

His gaze was a hard, pointed one.

"_Won't_ you, Princess?"

Flushing, she couldn't help but nod. Was he the one who had made her mama see sense during the times when she had acted rashly? Or perhaps he was just gifted in dealing with mafia Bosses?

"Y-Yes, I will Gamma."

The smile on his face made her forget all else, as a happy warmth engulfed her, making her feel as though she outside on a warm summer day, sprawled on the grass and gazing up into a cloudless sky

"Good." His gaze softened. "It's not good for your health to miss so many meals, Princess. I'm just –_we'_re just worried about you."

Her blue eyes softened.

"Thank you, Gamma." He seemed uncomfortable under the shine of her smile, and she supposed it was due to the brief spark of nostalgia that she saw in his eyes.

For of course he would be unable to distinguish her smiles from her mama's.

And no, it didn't hurt. Her mama was their beloved Boss after all, and she had been so long before she was even born. "Was there something you needed, Gamma?" she queried easily, knowing that the previous light atmosphere had dissipated with the older man's discomfort.

"Ah, no, I was just here to tell you that you have a visitor," said the man, pulling himself together.

"A visitor?" She blinked uncertainly, quite sure that she had not arranged for any meetings today.

"Yes." There was an indecipherable expression on his face as he averted his gaze for a brief moment. "It's the Vongola Decimo."

Oh.

_Oh. _

Her surprise must have shown on her face, for Gamma's face darkened –with what emotion she couldn't quite discern, although she was certain that distrust had a lot to do with it. Quickly adjusting her facial expression, she smiled gently at him, only belatedly realising that she really shouldn't make him remember her mother any more, for his own sake, when nostalgia sparked to life in his eyes once more.

"Where is the Vongola Decimo?" she inquired, her voice level. "I suppose I could meet him here, in the office."

The distrustful expression was back on his face.

"Were you expecting him, Princess?"

She shook her head.

"No. But I suppose that he has some important matter to discuss with me." Although the Vongola Decimo didn't seem to need a reason to meet her every now and then. She had a sinking feeling that he was...checking up on her, but she couldn't quite figure out _why_ he'd do that.

Surely he wasn't concerned for her, despite the extremely good nature that he had? He barely even _knew_ her, and, in any case, why would he need to worry about her, of all the people in the world for him to worry about?

Shaking her head inwardly at both her thoughts and Gamma's distrust, she sat up a little straighter in her chair. "Please show him in, Gamma," she requested, as calmly as she could. "I trust the Vongola, and Uncle Reborn speaks highly of the Decimo."

The golden haired man raised his eyebrows at that.

"Speaks highly of the Vongola Decimo? Princess, he is forever labelling him 'no-good', is he not?" She smiled.

"He would not be speaking of him at all if he did not think highly of him, Gamma. That is how Uncle Reborn is." She shook her head. "In any case, please, show him in. I would like to speak to him, alone." She raised her hand, stalling him as he opened his mouth, no doubt to protest. "He will not do anything to hurt me, and I believe wholeheartedly in that, Gamma." It was true too; she didn't know how she knew it, but she knew that he would not raise a finger against her. "Trust me on this."

A strange expression passed swiftly across his face before he nodded, mumbling something under his breath as he turned around and left the office.

* * *

**A/N**

Again, I had to end things here, because the scene that follows this was much too long to make it fit into one chapter, along with the bit you've just read. (I really need to plan things better. Sigh)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. Comments and opinions will be gladly appreciated.

Siriusgirl1


	3. Questions and Bad Feelings

**A/N**

And here's the penultimate chapter.

**Disclaimer: **Amano Akira's, not mine.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Questions and Bad Feelings**

The boy, no, the young man that sat before her couldn't have been more than six months older than he had been when she had last seen him, yet there was something in his eyes that made him seem older than he really was.

Apart from that, he was more or less the same, with his mass of thick brown hair and his kind, friendly brown eyes.

...Eyes that were staring at her questioningly, causing her to look a little embarrassed when she realised she had not being paying him any attention.

"Sorry, Sawada-san," she murmured, squirming a little in her seat before stopping abruptly upon remembering who exactly she was, and, more importantly, who exactly she was with. "I..." she trailed off, somewhat uncertainly.

What was she supposed to say? She had other things on her mind, such as letters that needed to be replied to? Or perhaps she should say that she was too busy scrutinising him, wondering what exactly had happened to him to make him look far older and somewhat wiser than someone his age should be?

She smiled. "I don't seem to be able to focus on anything today. I apologise again," she said, bowing her head ever so slightly. The Vongola Decimo shook his head, a friendly smile on his lips as an understanding expression worked its way across his face.

"No, don't apologise. I understand what you mean, though." He laughed, and she found herself thinking that it was a nice laugh, one that still held on to an air of openness which most Mafioso, much less Bosses, had nowadays. "Things just get too much after a while, don't they? And suddenly you don't know what you should focus on first."

_Yes, and no, Sawada-san,_ she thought privately, although she nodded in agreement.

"From all accounts, it seems as though you are focusing on things quite well, Sawada-san," she said honestly, for it was true. Yes, there were the odd Family or two who grumbled and found fault with most of what the young Boss did, but for the most part, people seemed impressed –whether truly impressed, or just grudgingly so- with him and the way he handled matters.

She did not know all the details, but the new policy that all the Families were attempting to follow, where they tried to talk things through as much as possible, as opposed to resorting to violence and bloodshed straight away, was something that had been pushed forward earnestly by the young Decimo. Of course, it was too early to tell if such an approach would work, and work well, in their world, but time would provide the answers to that.

The brunet flushed, ducking his head as he averted his gaze in as clear indication of embarrassment as was possible.

_Strange_, she could not help but think, _I thought we were not meant to show our true feelings, no matter what they are?_ She mentally berated herself for wondering about it; had she not learned from that first time she had met him, a little over a year ago, that what she had been told about the roles and mannerisms of a Boss seemed to be thrown out of the proverbial window whenever _this_ man was involved?

This man who, it was rumoured, shed tears even at the deaths of his enemies, as well as people he did not know.

She idly wondered if he would shed tears for _her_, if she was to pass on, but quickly dismissed the thought. There would be none who would shed tears for her; her mama might have, but...well, she couldn't possibly do that anymore, could she?

"May I...may I ask you a question?" asked the Vongola Decimo, suddenly, and she nodded, wondering why he looked suddenly uncomfortable. "I –I don't mean to sound rude, because...I...I know that you must be a good Boss, and that your Family appreciates everything you're doing for them..." he trailed off, a somewhat faraway light entering his eyes. "But... how _are_ you? I mean, you seem fine, and –ah, not that I'm saying you _shouldn't_ be fine, it's just...I..." Again, he trailed off, although he looked decidedly more embarrassed than he had been before.

And she could not help the fondness that seeped into her eyes, and even her voice, as she gazed upon him.

"My Family has been more of a help than I could ever have hoped, and the Vongola Nono has been far too kind to us," she said, cheerily. "I am well, Sawada-san, thank you."

He did not look too reassured.

"What about the other Families? Have they...been causing any trouble?" She knew, without having to ponder on an answer, that _he_ knew the answer to his own question; for there were other Families who still refused to accept her, particularly because of her age.

She could have lied, for surely, that would have made him feel better...but there was something about him that disallowed her from doing so.

He was kind, warm, and gentle; surely, out of all the other Bosses who she knew, _he_, at least, deserved an honest answer?

"It is to be expected, Sawada-san," she said instead, "I am eight years old, while there are Bosses more than three times my age out there, being forced to be civil to me due to my position in this alliance." His lips tightened, and a flicker of warmth sparked to life somewhere in her gut. "I do not pay much attention to their words, Sawada-san, for, though I am nothing but a child, I am not so...incompetent as they would like to think."

The way he nodded fervently would have had her believing his apparent conviction on the issue, if she had had doubts about her capabilities.

"There is no one who could lead this Family better than yourself, Uni," he said, so firmly that it was as though he was stating a fact only fools would claim to be otherwise. "There is no one who could be more capable."

_What do you know, Sawada-san? What have you seen to make you believe in such a thing?_

"You're too kind, Sawada-san," she said, feeling the pleased warmth in her cheeks and knowing, from the look on his face, that he had seen it too. Looking slightly embarrassed again –if she was to judge by the red tinge that had bloomed on his cheeks- the nice man with the honest smile shook his head.

"It's the truth; we all think so," he said, before looking at her once more. "If you ever need anything, Uni, you...you can always ask me. I...I promise, I will do my best to help in any way I can. No matter what it is, I'll help you."

He must have misunderstood the surprised expression on her face, for he quickly added, "U-Us! You –you can always ask _us_! I –I meant to say that w-we would help you! Not me!" He stopped, eyes widening. "Ah, I mean, I would help too, but I...I meant-"

She was aware that it was probably rude, and that her Guardians who she knew were standing right outside the door would probably be torn between concern for her and horror for her actions, but she could not hold back the giggles that left her mouth.

And, as she realised later, she didn't want to hold them back.

She kicked her legs back and forth as she laughed, not caring that her feet dangled a good couple of inches off the floor.

She had thought that her life would never be the same, after her mama died, and she had been right.

She had thought that being a Boss would be a difficult job, yet one that could also provide great happiness and satisfaction, and she had been right.

She had thought that there would never be a person in this world, and perhaps in her whole life –however long she had, given the heritage that had been passed down from her grandmother- who would be completely honest and truthful with her, thus dictating that she herself would have to become someone else, in order to succeed in the mafia world...

...and how wrong she had been. "U-Uni-?" his voice showed his confusion, and even a slight tinge of alarm. "Are you –okay?" She forced herself to straighten in her chair, raising a hand to wipe the tears she had not known had gathered in her eyes.

Goodness, had she really been laughing so hard? When was the last time she had done that? And the poor man had not even said anything _funny_.

"Sorry, Sawada-san," she said, her voice sounding more cheerful and less burdened than it had sounded for a few months, "Sorry. That was rude, wasn't it? I wasn't laughing at you. I..." she fidgeted in her seat. "I'm happy, that's all."

His brows were furrowed.

"Happy?"

She nodded.

"Yes. I am happy that you are you." She positively beamed at him, startling him into embarrassment again, "I am happy that you are still able to be yourself, despite everything we are involved in." She clasped both her hands together on the desk. "And, I realised... I want to tell you, that I'm not going to run away anymore."

She wondered why the embarrassment had drained from his face, only to be replaced by something that she could only describe as haunted. "I may be eight years old, but I am the Giglio Nero Boss. I won't depend on other Families like I have been doing; I have to lead my Family properly, and the first step to that is to learn to be independent; so, I'm not going to run –Sawada-san?"

He looked as though he was forcing himself to stay calm, and, actually, looked a little like he was going to be sick. "Sawada-san?" she enquired again, worried, "Are you not feeling well?"

It took him a moment or two to shake his head, albeit somewhat sluggishly.

"I'm fine," he said, his voice suddenly hoarse, "I..." he swallowed very visibly, before mustering up a smile, even though she knew that he was trouble, "I'm glad. About...about your decision."

"Are you sure you're alright?" she inquired, a little worried, and it must have shown, for he managed a slightly better smile when he spoke again.

"Yes, Uni, don't worry about me. Really." She nodded, although she didn't believe him; how could she, when there was a haunted look in brown eyes? It was a look, she decided, that did not at all suit the young man –and she was surprised when she found herself thinking that she would like to erase it, if it was at all possible.

For the first time since he had walked into the office, she felt an air of awkwardness surrounding them, and didn't like it one bit. Perhaps she should not have pressed him about his health? Perhaps she had made him uncomfortable?

"How is-"

"Will you be attending-" They both stopped, before she shook her head, gesturing for him to go on. "Uhm, Dino-san said –ah, er, I mean, the Cavallone Decimo said that he invited you and your Guardians for a retreat to the Cavallone villa, in Firenze. Will you be going?"

She smiled.

"I think it would be a nice change –of scenery and...well, other things," she agreed, "Yes, we will be going. I informed Dino-san of this. It was very kind of him to offer us this invita... Oh." Her smile dimmed slightly as she remembered something. Aware of the questioning look on her companion's face, she reached out for the slip of white paper she had been reading earlier, and a quick scan at the bottom of the letter confirmed her fears. "Oh dear."

"Uni?"

"It seems that I have two invitations, both for the same day," she replied to his unvoiced question, and smiled when she saw him raise his eyebrows. "This was delivered to me a few days ago," she explained, holding up the white slip of paper, "It is an invitation to visit, as well as an invitation to form a...relationship, of sorts, with another Family."

Her eyes were on the paper once more, so she failed to notice her companion stiffen at her words.

"Really." His voice was dull, and not at all what she expected, but she nodded. "Which...which Family is it? If you don't mind me asking." She smiled at the great pains the young man took to avoid offending those he met.

"The Gesso Family," she replied, "It seems that their Boss, Byakuran, wished to form some sort of...allegiance. Or that is the impression that I get, from reading this." When she looked at the Decimo, she saw that his eyes were fixed intently on the sheet of paper in her hands. "Would you like to read it, Sawada-san?" she asked, holding the paper out to her, and he quickly averted his gaze, shaking his head hurriedly.

"N-No, thanks," he said, and silence fell upon them once more, although it was evident that he was not as relaxed as he had been before. "Have you...will you...go?"

Tilting her head to a side, the young child gazed off into the distance for a long moment, her unusually wide, deep blue eyes glazed in thought.

"I don't know," she answered at last. "I have not written back yet, though, I had originally thought that there would be no harm in doing so..." Her voice lowered, "Yet, there is something about it all that makes me...wary. It makes me wonder if I should not be on my guard." She glanced at the brunette, her brows furrowed, "But that is ridiculous, isn't it? The Gesso have been nothing but...sensible, or at least, that is what I have gathered from meeting with them... Yet something..."

"...Doesn't feel right?"

She nodded.

"Exactly." Placing the letter back on the table, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. "If I think about it properly, though, my Family do not have that many allies outside our alliance with the Vongola –and those who have their own alliances with the Vongola do not approve or think very highly of us, except for the Cavallone, of course. So it would make sense to establish connections with other Families, if they seem willing to do so..."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly felt heavy.

"But –but didn't you...already accept Dino-san's invitation?" blurted out the brunet, a desperate note in his voice. "I –I mean, you said you accepted his invitation, so, so...you have to go with him, don't you? It would be...it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?"

"Well, yes, I suppose it would," she agreed, "although...if I explained it to-"

"-No! You can't!" She was startled by this outburst, and it showed. Yet her companion did not seem to notice, as he firmly gripped the arms of the chair he was seated on, unaware of the fact that his knuckles were turning white. "You can't meet Bya –the Gesso, it's too—" he stopped just as abruptly as he had reacted, and another awkward silence fell upon them.

He finally lowered his gaze, gazing at his lap, although she could see that his brows were still furrowed just as much as she could sense how troubled he was.

What had happened?

What had made him react in such a manner? Was it something she had said? Had she said-

It struck her suddenly, that this all had something to do with the Gesso Family. Either that, or the brunet wasn't pleased that she might turn down the Cavallone Decimo's invitation...and that did not make any sense.

If it was related to the Gesso, what could the reasons behind it be?

Blue eyes narrowed slightly in thought, because, now that she thought about it, this was not the first time something like this had happened, was it? Certainly, the Decimo had not reacted verbally in such a manner before, but...he had always been there whenever she met with Byakuran Gesso.

At meetings, he would be there, sitting where he could see her, and whenever the white haired Boss of the Gesso approached her, or attempted to direct her somewhere, so as to have a private conversation, _he_ would be there, either with someone who wished to meet her, or telling her that she was meant to meet someone, and she must have forgotten about it.

_I have never been by myself, in Byakuran Gesso's company, _she realised suddenly, with the force of something akin to an epiphany, _If it wasn't Sawada-san who found something or the other for me to be doing, it would be one of his Guardians. And sometimes, Uncle Reborn._

Surely that could not be normal?

_And Gamma too, _she thought suddenly, _Gamma didn't like him from the time he first met him. Did he not tell me that he could not be trusted?_ She frowned, _Yet he did not have any reason to say it, did he? He himself admitted that it was just a feeling..._

Yet, was that not the same feeling she had first had, at the function last year when the white haired man had first introduced himself to her? After Sawada-san had interrupted their conversation –the first time of the many to come-, and when she had been walking away, had she not...felt something?

Had she not been unsettled by the white haired man, without having any reason to feel such a thing?

_Mama always did say that I should rely on my intuition to guide me..._

So Sawada-san was trying to keep her away from Byakuran Gesso. But why? What had happened, or what did he know about the man that made him behave in such a manner? What made him feel he had to...to protect her from—

_('The Phantom Knight has been defeated! His injuries-! They're horrible!'_

'_No. No, I'm sorry, Phantom Knight. Your wounds are bad; rest, now. And...I understand. Your feelings, I understand them all. It's okay, Phantom Knight.'_

'_What? You want to go to their hideout? No, Princess! That's what he wants –he's just trying to test us!'_

'_It's okay. I have to meet him, to prevent any more victims.'_

'_Princess! Please reconsider! They're out to plunder us! Surely –surely an ally family who thinks the same as us will appear-!'_

'_By then it will be too late, Gamma. I sense a powerful force from him. ...No one but me will be able to stop him.')_

She gasped at the feeling of overpowering dread ignited in her gut, almost making it difficult to breathe. The voices she had heard were ones that she was sure she recognised, how could she not, when two of them she heard on a daily basis, and when the third was _hers_?

But where was it from? And why was she hearing it? Surely, surely it couldn't be a premonition of things to come...for although her mama had said that she would soon start seeing things...she had not mentioned _hearing_ things. She could not see anything of what was going on, all she could do was hear what was being said –and even that was disjointed, as though she was missing a great chunk that would help her make more sense out of things.

"-ni? Uni!"

She heard a chair being pushed back roughly, followed by rushed footsteps before a warm hand was placed on her shoulder. Only then did she realise that she was slumped over the table, her breaths coming in quick gasps. "Uni –oh no, what is it? Uni? _Uni_!" There was a type of warmth emanating from the figure by her side, and she subconsciously found herself leaning towards him, seeking more of its comfort. "Uni-? Please, don't –you can't –"

The door to the office was slammed open just then.

"-hell?"

"Princess!"

"What have you done, you bastard?" Despite the heaviness that was slowly taking over her, she tried to open her mouth, to say something in her companion's defence, but no sound came through her lips.

"I –I didn't –we were talking, and then she just...she suddenly—I didn't do anything, I swear! I would never hurt her. Never!"

A pair of larger, warmer hands had gripped her shoulders, gently pulling her away from the desk, and when she opened her eyes she was able to catch a glimpse of concerned eyes and golden hair before she squeezed her eyes shut once more.

"Princess? What is it? What're you feeling?" She opened her mouth to answer, but once more found that she couldn't.

_('Hmmm, and who's this again? Like I could know, since we've never seen each other before. Right, Uni-chan~?'_

'_Wha –it's him! Princess, be careful!'_

'_I thought there would be a baby coming, but you're far more charming than I'd imagined!'_

'_And you're more...ordinary than I thought you would be.'_

'_Haha! Nicely said. Hmm, so these are your escorts. The wielders of the Mare Rings you Giglio Nero are so proud of. I'm so jealous. Although...you seem to be missing someone...?'_

'_The Mist Guardian was defeated by Varia's swordsman, according to someone's trap.'_

'_Hmm, is that right? Surely protecting the Mare ring, one of the Tri-ni-sette pieces, was an order from your family, right, Uni-chan?'_

'_...'_

'_But standing while talking makes it hard to talk, doesn't it? If we could just see each other in private...'_

'_You bastard! As if we'll let-'_

'_Okay.'_

'_What? Princess-!'_

'_Gamma. Look into my eyes. Do you see any recklessness?'_

'_But-'_

'_Thank you. For everything. And, I ... ... ...')_

Nausea rose within her, and she clamped her little hands over her mouth, her eyes squeezed shut as though to shut out the terrifying sensations brought about by the voices, the familiar voices, speaking in her head.

Tears of frustration and panic built up under her eyelids, and she was not aware of the worry on the faces of her Guardians and the Vongola Decimo as they saw this.

"G...Ga...mma," she gasped, still refusing to open her eyes, "I –I..." even breathing was becoming difficult, as though she was in a room where the walls were quickly closing in on her.

"What is it Princess?" There was an urgent note in his voice, "Princess?"

"I...don't-"

That was all she managed to say before a wave of darkness swept across her mind, engulfing both her and the voices she had been hearing. She couldn't be sure who was shouting, the Gamma-voice she was hearing in her head, or the Gamma who was kneeling beside her quickly slumping figure, but the Vongola Decimo's panicked call of 'Uni!' caught her attention.

There was a desperate note in that voice, as though its user really was afraid. Afraid for _her_.

In fact, it was eerily similar to the screams that haunted her; the screams that told her not to be afraid, and that 'he', whoever he was, would find another way, so she shouldn't—

_That voice... the screams... it was Sawada-san...?_

And just like that, the darkness overtook her, rendering her unconscious.

* * *

**A/N**

I'll be uploading the final chapter once I go over it again, though that won't be until late tomorrow, seeing how I've got uni tomorrow, and I sort of should be off to bed now. But I hope this was okay.

The quotes in italics are taken from various chapters in the manga, though some might have been a little altered –and by that, I mean they might be missing a word or two.

Till next time,

Siriusgirl1


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